Some Coccidia Questions...

[war&wisdom]

Hi, everyone,

My nearly-six-month-old kittens tested positive for coccidia less than two weeks ago after I noticed them having softer, lighter-colored poops than usual. They are fully indoors and have been with us since they were two months old (and we're living with their foster mom for the eight weeks before that, never at a shelter), so they must have picked up the parasite at the vet. I have a few questions:

1) Before I even began administering Albon, their poop had solidified and darkened. Before that, it was never runny or very strong-smelling, just soft and a little smellier than usual (and I have a strong sense of smell). Is it possible that the coccidia was resolving on its own?

2) The vet gave no instructions about disinfecting, so I didn't deep clean anything until today, when I realized I should have done more. They're on day 9 of Albon. Will I be able to prevent reinfection?

3) Do I have to throw their cat tree away? I'm low on funds and have no idea how I could get another one, so I'm pretty upset.

Thank you!

 

[lacy2000]

Clean cat boxes with diluted bleach (make sure it's fresh and normal, not scented or splash-less) 2-3 times a week. Spray down the cat tree and areas around the litter box with Rescue brand spray (not the wipes-the spray). You don't have to throw the cat tree or toys away if you clean it well. Make sure you are cleaning the litter box every time they use it to prevent them from stepping in it and tracking it around.

A lot of cats that are infected, mostly adults, will be asymptomatic because they have a stronger immune system. It's possible that this is the case with your cat's poop looking more normal. They are still infected, but their immune system keeps in at bay.

 

[molly92]

Actually bleach does not do a good job of killing coccidia-use 10% ammonia instead (not both!). High temperatures also kill coccidia, so you can steam clean the cat tree.

Coccidia hides really well sometimes. If you've got some gloves and break open their poop, it's often orange on the inside even though it looks normal on the outside. Coccidia also is known for smelling terrible. It's entirely possible that the kittens have "had" coccidia all their life from their mother and it is just cropping up symptomatically now. And just because they seem better doesn't mean they won't get worse later, so be diligent about the Albon. Usually though by the time their adults, their immune system is strong enough that coccidia isn't an issue.

 

[war&wisdom]

I've given their Albon as prescribed, of course; tonight is their last dose (#10). They were improving before starting the Albon, though, not only after. I regularly break open their poop to check for color, and it had actually darkened by then. It also doesn't smell (beyond the amount normal poop smells), and it never smelled terrible, only a bit worse.

Yes, I used ammonia, which I mixed myself so that it would be a high enough concentration, to clean the areas around the litter boxes. I also washed the litter boxes, scoops, and plastic toys, and I threw their cloth toys in a hot dryer for a while. I washed all their bedding in hot water, but I haven't been able to clean all of our own bedding yet, nor every single surface in the house. I get home at 6pm and get up for my teaching job at 4:30am, so I don't have much time when you add in grading and planning...I'm really, really stressed right now.

I will try to find a working steamer tonight for the cat tree. I hadn't considered that, for some reason.

I'm mainly worried that because I wasn't aware of how much cleaning was necessary until the last couple days of their Albon regimen, my kittens are now basically guaranteed to get reinfected. Obviously no one has a crystal ball, but I guess I'm looking for confirmation and/or reassurance?

 

[kashmir64]

I'm a little confused. If they are indoor only and haven't been around other cats, they should not have Coccidia. It has a 14 day gestation, and if they have had it for some time, symptoms would have appeared long before now. Especially since a kitten has a weaker immune system.
I'm not saying the vet is wrong, just that something doesn't make sense to me.

 

[war&wisdom]

I'm a little confused. If they are indoor only and haven't been around other cats, they should not have Coccidia. It has a 14 day gestation, and if they have had it for some time, symptoms would have appeared long before now. Especially since a kitten has a weaker immune system.
I'm not saying the vet is wrong, just that something doesn't make sense to me.

I was surprised too, but they ran a fecal analysis, and I've read that false positives are rare.

I'm assuming they picked it up at the vet.